DESCRIPTION OF CORALS. 137 
Dendrophyllia? (Tab. I. fig. 4, and Tab. IX. fig. 26, 28, 30.) 
Stems simple ?, slightly conical or compressed, expanded and fixed at the base ; 
surface traversed by fine, minutely-tubercled ribs, with narrow, intermediate fur- 
rows ; lamellz very numerous, grouped, hispid on the sides, blended outwardly 
with peripheral structure, inwardly with middle area ; boundary a spongeous net- 
work ; centre, variable amount of reticulated laminz ; terminal cup not deep. 
Three specimens of this coral were examined, the one figured belonging to 
Mr. Dixon’s collection, the others to Mr. Edwards’s series. They varied in 
height from half an inch to an inch and a half, but the diameter of the longest 
slightly exceeded the major axis of the specimen delineated. In general com- 
position they resembled Dendrophyllia, particularly the largest individual ; and 
they might readily be regarded as elongated base-portions of Dend. cariosa 
(Michelin*), stated to be found in the lower beds of the calcaire grossier. It 
would, however, be clearly incorrect to consider the Bracklesham specimens as 
belonging either to the Paris basin species or even to the genus Dendrophyllia, 
as it is impossible to determine whether they are young or lower portions of a 
branched coral, or whether in their perfect development they would be simple. 
The figures 4 and 4c given in Tab. I., and the references in the note, will, it is 
hoped, enable the discoverer of other specimens to determine satisfactorily the 
generic characters. 
In the upper portion of the figure 4 the ribs are correctly shown to have lost 
their distinctness, but in Mr. Edwards’s fossil (fig. 4c), nearly twice the height, 
they preserved throughout the same definite outline. In that specimen the 
central area also was much greater, in consequence possibly of a less compressed 
form, and it resembled perfectly in its nature the boundary reticulated structure ; 
but the termination was much more imperfect than in figure 4. 
other and more illustrative specimens, he is induced to infer, from the mode of grouping and the great 
solidity displayed in the best exposed attached portions, that some at least of these stellated corals 
should be regarded as the earliest stage of Oculina ? dendrophylloides. Fig. 30. Tab. IX. exhibits the 
porous nature of the very base of the Dendrophyllia? ; and in four other specimens the structure was 
equally foraminated. Fig. 26 displays two stellated corals, and several others were scattered over the 
same shell. The great relative solidity of the interior is shown at letter a, and it was equally conspi- 
cuous in other specimens. A similar character is noticed in alluding to a specimen of Ocul.? den- 
drophylloides, which exhibited, in the upper part, the portion that once rested immediately on the 
original support.—Vov. 1846. 
* Teonog. Zoophytog. pl. 43. f. 10; consult also Goldfuss, Petref. Lithod. cariosum, tab. 15. f. 7, 
and Guettard, Mém. tome iii. tab. 58. figs. 3, 6, 7, 9; also the Grignon fossil, pl. 26. fig. 3, same work. 
